DECEMBER 15, 2019 – One bad sign for any society is the normalization of the abnormal.
In critical quarters since Inauguration Day 2017—overt, contemptuous disregard for observable fact has become the norm. The line was crossed by Trump’s insistence that his inauguration crowd was “the biggest ever.”
One must acknowledge that “lying,” “cheating,” and other nefarious behavior has always been part of our body politic. To various degrees, our presidents, generals, government bureaucrats have exhibited, even actively practiced, such negative attributes. However, whose record in the past could match Trump’s open denial of open reality?
Take that starter lie. Anyone with vision could plainly see the chasm between photographs and the president’s claim. And that was but the beginning. Here we are, almost three years in, and according to the melded result of 90 recent national polls, 41.9% the population accepts, embraces, rationalizes, or sloughs off a political culture of open lying and open abuse of power. This is in fundamental contrast with behind-the-scenes lies, distortions, and corruption. The abnormal has become normalized.
In the context of impeachment, we’re not hearing Trump supporters say aloud, publicly, “The facts are bad. Let’s just stipulate to that. What Trump did with regard to Ukraine was ill-advised, improper, just plain wrong, but [arguments regarding the purpose of impeachment and why, because of negative precedent, it shouldn’t be pursued here.]” That would be “normal” argument.
Instead, we’re hearing debunked conspiracy theories and twisted, tortured denial and deflections of uncontroverted and incontrovertible fact, accompanied by the disingenuous position that “first-hand” evidence is lacking—because such evidence is being withheld by the very camp that argues it is lacking! We’re hearing the indefensible, and the indefensible has become “normal.”
The eye-rolling by my Trump-supporting friends is firm evidence of my point. These people are not “fringe,” dummies, or white trash. They excelled at top colleges and universities and esteemed professional schools. Others Trumpsters I know, if they lack top flight “paper” credentials, are nevertheless exceptionally smart and aware. (Disclosure: most are doing well financially, and, whether by myopia or suspended disbelief, attribute their 401(k) balances to “policies” or “bully-pit influence” of the president.) I cannot emphasize enough that these people have good values, good hearts, good intentions. The fact that when they hear me, such “normal” people sigh, then turn a deaf ear, is clear and convincing proof that “abnormal” is now “normal.”
Many of my Democrat friends focus their vitriol on Republicans in Congress. I too cringe when people like Jim Jordan, Devon Nunes, Matt Gaetz, and Doug Collins–each with limelight histrionics–resort to falsehoods and spurious arguments to counter the Democrats’ impeachment agenda. But those Republicans simply reflect the folks back home—including people like my Trump-supporting family and friends—all of whom are the part of the country that now accepts “abnormal” as “normal.”
Within broad limits, a pluralistic society in which various interests compete can long survive, even prosper. But the future is fraught for a society in which “wrong” has become “right,” in which “down” has become “up.”
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© 2019 Eric Nilsson
